Rexxon Drillerson OUT at State Department - Cheeto names Pompeo as his replacement

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Rexxon Drillerson OUT at State Department - Cheeto names Pompeo as his replacement

President Donald Trump has asked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to leave his post, choosing CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him, the White House said Tuesday.

The CIA's deputy director, Gina Haspel, will succeed Pompeo, becoming the first woman to lead the agency pending Senate confirmation for both her and Pompeo.

According to The Washington Post, which first reported the news, Trump on Friday asked Tillerson to step down.

"Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State," the president tweeted Tuesday. "He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!"

Tillerson was on a diplomatic trip in Africa, which he cut short to return to Washington on Monday. Josh Lederman, a reporter for the Associated Press, tweeted that he had been on the plane back to the US with Tillerson and that there was "zero indication" that the firing was imminent.

The firing came a day after Tillerson publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the Kremlin "an irresponsible force of instability in the world" following a nerve-agent attack in England that the UK blamed on Russia.

For months, reports had indicated there was tension between Tillerson and Trump, with Tillerson repeatedly denying he was leaving his job.

Pompeo released a statement Tuesday thanking Trump.

"I am deeply grateful to President Trump for permitting me to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and for this opportunity to serve as secretary of state," he said. "His leadership has made America safer and I look forward to representing him and the American people to the rest of the world to further America's prosperity."

Trump cites difference of opinion on Iran nuclear deal

In comments to reporters on Tuesday morning before he took off for a trip to California, Trump said he had disagreed with Tillerson on a few issues, specifically the Iran nuclear deal.

"When you look at the Iran deal, I thought it was terrible," Trump said. "He thought it was OK. I wanted to either break it or do something — he felt a little differently."

Trump said he and Tillerson got along "quite well" but that they simply "disagreed on things."

He also praised Pompeo, saying that Pompeo had "tremendous energy, tremendous intellect," and that the two were "always on the same wavelength."

Bibi and his wife are huge crooks and Israel is one of the few countries who actually has put it's leaders behind bars for criminal activity Trump's son in law Jared Kushner is a zionist. Iran has filled the void we left and has moved into Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. This makes Israel antsy and then you have the young people in Iran rebelling and wanting revolution so the leaders of Iran have a motive to go to war. Trump is being pushed to war. Bibi wants war to avoid jail. Iran wants war. Of course if this all goes off Russia gets pulled into it.

I thought Tillerson was doing a good job as Secretary of State. Trump needs a new chief of staff because his White House is a reality show. Heard Pompeo was under consideration to be White House chief of staff. That means babysitting Trump and keeping his erratic White House under control (not an easy or pleasant job). But the rumors was Kelly was out of the White House by the end of this month. We will see.

How fucked up is this Fraudministration when an oil company CEO who fucked up the Arctic Ocean is considered the "reasonable" guy in the cabinet?

Worse yet, how fucked up is it when a guy who literally got a "friendship" medal from Pooty himself, gets fired literally hours after calling out the Russians for their KGB assassination attempt in the UK?

Gina Haspel, Trump’s CIA director pick, oversaw the torture of dozens of people

She also tried to destroy video evidence of the torture of two suspects.
By Alex Ward

Gina Haspel — a CIA operative who oversaw the torture of two terrorism suspects at a secret prison in Thailand and then helped destroy tapes of the interrogations — will likely be the next CIA director.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced a major shake-up in his national security team: Rex Tillerson is out as secretary of state, CIA Director Mike Pompeo heads over to lead the State Department, and Haspel — the CIA’s deputy director — will replace Pompeo as the head of the intelligence agency.

If confirmed, Haspel would be the first woman to lead the CIA. She’s widely respected in intelligence circles and has spent more than 30 years in the CIA, working undercover for most of that time. But she remains a controversial figure for her years-long involvement in a wider CIA program that led to the torture of dozens of suspects, which included stuffing people into coffins or depriving them of sleep.

Despite this, Trump clearly has confidence in Haspel, and she says she’s ready for her new role. “I am grateful to President Trump for the opportunity, and humbled by his confidence in me, to be nominated to be the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Haspel said in a statement after the president’s announcement.

Whatever reservations Trump may have had about torture, he’s set them aside to promote Haspel to lead one of America’s most famous agencies.

Haspel ran the CIA’s detention site in Thailand, the agency’s first overseas secret prison.

It was there in 2002 that she oversaw the interrogation of two terrorism suspects. One was Abu Zubaydah, who, according to the New Yorker, “was tortured so brutally that at one point he appeared to be dead.” CIA operatives reportedly waterboarded Zubaydah 83 times and repeatedly slammed him into walls.

The other, Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri, was also waterboarded in 2002 and is currently being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The CIA also videotaped the torture. The 92 tapes were held in a safe until the agency asked for their destruction in 2005. Haspel, who then worked out of Langley overseeing the CIA’s torture program, had her name on the cable that ordered their eradication. However, the CIA said at the time that Haspel’s boss, Jose Rodriguez, made the call. The Justice Department investigated the tape-destruction order but ultimately filed no charges.

President Barack Obama ordered the closure of CIA black sites in 2009, but it’s unclear if Haspel’s nomination means they’ll make a comeback. Trump previously advocated for the return of torture against terrorism suspects until Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis convinced him otherwise.

Haspel — who may get a lot of face time with the president delivering his daily intelligence briefing — may have the chance to change Trump’s mind on this controversial issue.

Haspel has her detractors
When Pompeo announced Haspel as his deputy in February 2017, civil rights advocates widely criticized her appointment.

“Pompeo must explain to the American people how his promotion of someone allegedly involved in running a torture site squares with his own sworn promises to Congress that he will reject all forms of torture and abuse,” Christopher Anders of the American Civil Liberties Union told CBS News last year.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and other Senate Democrats protested her appointment to the CIA’s No. 2 job last year. And Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who once led the committee, blocked Haspel’s promotion to lead the CIA’s clandestine operations because of her role in the torture program and involvement in the destruction of the tapes.

But the latest pushback is bipartisan. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee and who was famously tortured in Vietnam, put out a less-than-positive statement: “Ms. Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement in the CIA’s interrogation program during the confirmation process. I know the Senate will do its job in examining Ms. Haspel’s record as well as her beliefs about torture and her approach to current law.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq War veteran, was critical of the Haspel nomination. “I voted against Mr. Pompeo’s nomination to be CIA director because he failed to express moral opposition to torture, but Ms. Haspel has done much worse,” Duckworth said in a statement. “Not only did she directly supervise the torture of detainees, but she also participated in covering it up by helping to destroy the video evidence. Her reprehensible actions should disqualify her from having the privilege of serving the American people in government ever again, but apparently this president believes they merit a promotion. I could not disagree more.”

But even former Obama intelligence officials have previously praised Haspel. When Pompeo named her as his deputy director, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he was “very pleased,” and former acting CIA Director Mike Morell said, “I applaud the appointment.”

As of now, there is no indication that the GOP-controlled Senate will block Haspel’s nomination, which has yet to be scheduled. But it’s likely that she will prove a divisive figure in an administration already filled with controversial leaders.

I thought Tillerson was doing a good job as Secretary of State. Trump needs a new chief of staff because his White House is a reality show. Heard Pompeo was under consideration to be White House chief of staff. That means babysitting Trump and keeping his erratic White House under control (not an easy or pleasant job). But the rumors was Kelly was out of the White House by the end of this month. We will see.

Certainly in comparison with the rest of the Cabinet, Tillerson was doing the best he was able to considering the erratic nature of the President who appointed him. At least with Tillerson - whatever misgivings I had about his previous career experience prior to his appointment - he could give an interview and come across as being in touch with reality, unlike, say, Ben Carson or Betsy Devos. He was also far more moderate in his rhetoric and approach than the President. And Steve Bannon. And Stephen Miller. And Donald Trump, Jr. And Anthony Scaramucci. And Mike Flynn. And Kellyanne Conway. And Jeff Sessions.

To Ford's point, yes, it IS a bit fucked up when a guy like Tillerson was the reasonable guy in the Cabinet.

Bibi and his wife are huge crooks and Israel is one of the few countries who actually has put it's leaders behind bars for criminal activity Trump's son in law Jared Kushner is a zionist. Iran has filled the void we left and has moved into Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. This makes Israel antsy and then you have the young people in Iran rebelling and wanting revolution so the leaders of Iran have a motive to go to war. Trump is being pushed to war. Bibi wants war to avoid jail. Iran wants war. Of course if this all goes off Russia gets pulled into it.

Even Trump is smart enough to realize that initiating a war/military action that turns out successful - for purposes here being defined as a war that doesn't end in a nuclear apocalypse - timed right re: the 2020 elections, will probably be the only sure-fire remedy to get him a 2nd term.

The problem is where to have the conflict, and how to make it successful. We can't even win in Afghanistan, and we've been there for 17 years. Syria would be another sinkhole filled with quicksand. Going into Iran would, as you say, probably bring Russia into it.

Even Trump is smart enough to realize that initiating a war/military action that turns out successful - for purposes here being defined as a war that doesn't end in a nuclear apocalypse - timed right re: the 2020 elections, will probably be the only sure-fire remedy to get him a 2nd term.

The problem is where to have the conflict, and how to make it successful. We can't even win in Afghanistan, and we've been there for 17 years. Syria would be another sinkhole filled with quicksand. Going into Iran would, as you say, probably bring Russia into it.

Maybe we can reinvade Grenada...or Lybia...

Which if I can state the obvious, is why these countries want nukes. It's the only way to stop the US government or even Russia attacking you whenever they need to prop up a struggling domestic situation.

At this point it's been used so much it's like getting anoother credit card to pay monthly payments on your previous 2...

Rex Tillerson’s favorable tax deal may have made a year in Trump’s orbit worth it

Rex Tillerson was required to divest his stocks when he became secretary of State post.

His stock holdings were estimated in January 2017 at $54 million.

Tillerson also held the right to an estimated $174 million in Exxon Mobil shares for his four decades at the oil giant, and Exxon set up a special trust in which it sold the shares and agreed to pay cash to Tillerson over a decade.

Both deals deferred any taxes the former Exxon Mobil CEO would ordinarily owe on stock sales, and in the best-case scenario, could defer taxes forever.

Cheeto's not going to fire the racist Keebler Elf. Big Pharma loves that sick little Klan fuck's crusade against legal weed. They have even offered to buy a lifetime supply of white sheets for him (as long as they aren't made from hemp fiber)

Rex Tillerson’s favorable tax deal may have made a year in Trump’s orbit worth it

Rex Tillerson was required to divest his stocks when he became secretary of State post.

His stock holdings were estimated in January 2017 at $54 million.

Tillerson also held the right to an estimated $174 million in Exxon Mobil shares for his four decades at the oil giant, and Exxon set up a special trust in which it sold the shares and agreed to pay cash to Tillerson over a decade.

Both deals deferred any taxes the former Exxon Mobil CEO would ordinarily owe on stock sales, and in the best-case scenario, could defer taxes forever.

Next firing:

AG Sessions

Wouldn't say that misty is an accurate reflection, nor is it surprising that Tillerson found a way to profit in a manner that could potentially avoid paying any taxes on gains made from divesting his stocks: Tillerson would hardly be the first millionaire who desired to pay the least amount of taxes possible.

I could see Trump firing Sessions. He's wanted to from the moment Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation. And legally Trump can fire Sessions for any reason, or no reason/cause at all.

Even Trump is smart enough to realize that initiating a war/military action that turns out successful - for purposes here being defined as a war that doesn't end in a nuclear apocalypse - timed right re: the 2020 elections, will probably be the only sure-fire remedy to get him a 2nd term.

The problem is where to have the conflict, and how to make it successful. We can't even win in Afghanistan, and we've been there for 17 years. Syria would be another sinkhole filled with quicksand. Going into Iran would, as you say, probably bring Russia into it.

Maybe we can reinvade Grenada...or Lybia...

I often think we let wars go on because too many people make money off them. We have been in Korea for over a half century. The American people say we don't want war but then they cry when a military base or contractor closes up shop and lays people off. They might not want war directly but everyone likes the money the military puts in their pockets. To justify 60% of our budget being spent on the military there always needs to be a threat. It's why Israel always needs a threat. If they have no threat we won't keep financing them. So in a way Iran is Israel's worst enemy and best friend at the same time.

Certainly in comparison with the rest of the Cabinet, Tillerson was doing the best he was able to considering the erratic nature of the President who appointed him. At least with Tillerson - whatever misgivings I had about his previous career experience prior to his appointment - he could give an interview and come across as being in touch with reality, unlike, say, Ben Carson or Betsy Devos. He was also far more moderate in his rhetoric and approach than the President. And Steve Bannon. And Stephen Miller. And Donald Trump, Jr. And Anthony Scaramucci. And Mike Flynn. And Kellyanne Conway. And Jeff Sessions.

To Ford's point, yes, it IS a bit fucked up when a guy like Tillerson was the reasonable guy in the Cabinet.

Yet, this is where we are.

Tillerson is a smart, articulate, professional. We needed someone with middle east contacts and Tillerson was perfect for that. Tillerson is used to being the boss and he tends to believe in climate change, international trade deals, and multinational corporations. Tillerson is a globalist. Trump is a hard core nationalist. Trump and Tillerson clashed and Trump got rid of Tillerson. I certainly think Trump showed no class in the way he fired Tillerson. I think Tillerson served his country well while he served as Secretary of State. Trump showed himself to be childish in the way he fired him.

Tillerson is a smart, articulate, professional. We needed someone with middle east contacts and Tillerson was perfect for that. Tillerson is used to being the boss and he tends to believe in climate change, international trade deals, and multinational corporations. Tillerson is a globalist. Trump is a hard core nationalist. Trump and Tillerson clashed and Trump got rid of Tillerson. I certainly think Trump showed no class in the way he fired Tillerson. I think Tillerson served his country well while he served as Secretary of State. Trump showed himself to be childish in the way he fired him.

However, many diplomatic positions and appointments have still not been filled around the world, and Tillerson as of yet had nothing to say by way of disagreement that said diplomatic positions SHOULD be filled. If it is that one believes diplomacy is the best way to engage the rest of the world, or preferable than a mere showing of military superiority, the hollowing of the State Department - which has happened under Tillerson's watch - isn't the way to go. Which illustrates what Nickd was saying about Tillerson's ultimate effectiveness. It may well be that Tillerson, as more than a few reports have suggested, was a one of the few voices willing to tell Trump things he didn't want to hear, such as pursuing a diplomatic track with North Korea, not abandoning the Paris Climate Agreement and not scuttling the Iranian Nuclear Deal.

Tillerson did at least maintain a professional decorum during his tenure. Trump was cowardly in the manner in which he ultimately fired Tillerson, but cowardice in demanding resignations re: personally informing those to be terminated has become a characteristic of Trump's since he became president. Odd for a guy who got off saying "you're fired" to contestants on his reality tv show. I guess that supposed display of courage was just fakery for the tv cameras. I mean, Tillerson doubtless has expected his termination to be coming for at least 6 months now. Pity for Tillerson that Trump didn't have the stones to deliver the news in person.

Geezus... now there's rumors going around that McMaster is out and that Cheeto is bringing in PNAC'er John "nuke the UN" Bolton to replace him.

If that happens, there's no question about it. Cheeto & NuttyYahoo are planning to start World War III in order to stop either of them from being removed from office.

Old Bolton has no misgivings about Iraq in terms of the strategic choice to go in, only some misgivings on the implementation of the strategy.

And remember, we have Christie, Giuliani and Gingrich all warming up in the bullpen when Trump burns through the next three Cabinet/high level staff members. Despite how nobody of quality is stepping forward to offer their services to the Trump Administration, there is no shortage of 2nd, 3rd and 4th raters like the three I mentioned clamoring for a position in the Trump Administration.

Yep. Old Rudy would happily take any position Trump offered him. Same with Christie, who was making critical public comments about Kelly during the Porter incident that came across like nothing other than Christie angling for Kelly's job.

Gingrich might be slightly more cautious about taking a position, particularly after having seen how this administration has operated over the past year. Unlike Rudy and Christie, Gingrich doesn't really have any ambitions anymore politically in terms of operating in the public sphere. And Gingrich was never quite as all in in terms of being a toady for Trump and agreeing with everything Trump thought or said.